Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Paeonia lactiflora 'Serene Pastel'
Serene Pastel Peony
- Height
- 24–36 inches (commonly around 28 inches tall)
- Width
- 24–30 inches
- Flower color
- Soft blush-salmon pink that matures to pale apricot-pink
- Foliage color
- Glossy medium to dark green
- Bloom time
- Midseason in late spring to early summer
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low, remove spent flowers, cut foliage to ground after frost, mulch before winter
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 3–8
- Wildlife
- Fragrant blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; deer- and rabbit-resistant
About this plant
Paeonia lactiflora 'Serene Pastel' is known for its large, fully double blooms and soft, shifting colors. The flowers emerge in late-spring, opening in a delicate salmon-pink that gradually fades to creamy ivory with hints of blush. Rounded guard petals frame a dense cluster of lightly ruffled inner petals, with occasional glimpses of golden stamens at the center. A subtle, mint-like fragrance accompanies the blooms, which are held on strong stems that resist flopping even in wind or rain.
'Serene Pastel' forms a compact, tidy mound of glossy, divided foliage that remains attractive after flowering ends. It is well suited for cutting, offering long-lasting blooms when harvested at the soft bud stage. Its deer resistance and gentle coloring make it a dependable addition to perennial borders, floral arrangements, and seasonal garden displays.
Works well in
Borders · Cottage Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Lady's mantle · Hellebores · Hardy geraniums · Hostas · Ferns · Astilbes
Design tip
Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. Because it is easy about light, use it to carry a planting from a sunny end of the bed into the shadier side.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Brooks Gardens Peonies.
